Don't teach evolution till college?

I was flipping through the Wired blogs today and came across something pretty interesting. A microbiologist named Carl Woese says that evolution is pretty complex and therefore, like quantum mechanics, should not be taught in high school.

So first I said who the heck is this guy? I was perplexed. Why? Because I think we should be teaching the simple concepts of DNA and Genetics IN grade school. A quick wiki-search definitely gives him some street cred, when it comes to evolution.

He says this in response to all the hulabaloo in Florida about teaching evolution. Why not just skip it until the student is an adult and has a choice? Well, I hate to say it but.....He is dead WRONG! Complex concepts will need to be taught at an earlier and earlier stage if we ever hope to progress as a a society. Just because we don't teach quantum mechanics in grade school doesn't mean we shouldn't.

How will the US ever develop the home grown scientist if we don't nurture our children early? I say this as I sit and watch less and less citizens go into science, less and less children go into medicine, less and less go into engineering. Yet I see a scientist in every 2 year old I have ever taken care of.

Blame it on Brittney! And now blame it on Carl Woese. Hey Oprah! How about a teach your child science day?

The Sherpa Says:
I know that this is not the least bit related to Genomic Medicine and Personalized Medicine directly. But in the end it has everything to do with this path. It's time to make Science sexy again!